Picker stick checking mechanism



Oct. 1,1946. w HAMm'oN 2,408,636

PICKER STICK CHECKING MECHANISM Original Filed May 13., 1944 2 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 3 WALLACE HAMILTON ATTORNEY Oct. 1, 1946. w HAMlLToN 2,408,636

PICKER STICK CHECKING MECHANISM Original Filed May 13, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QP as r v I I 54- 1 1 4o 38 72 g 42 so 26 4 INVENTOR. FIG 6 WALLACE HAMILTON ATTOR NEY Patented Oct. 1, 1946 PICKER STICK CHECKING MECHANISlVf Wallace Hamilton, Albany, N. Y., assignor to. Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Refiled for abandoned application Serial'No. 535,420, May 13, 1944. This application May 7 31, 1945, Serial No. 596,832

- eclaims (01. 139-1 The present invention relates generally to picking-mechanisms for fly shuttle-looms and, as illustrated herein, relates more particularly to picker stick checking mechanisms. I -f' I This. application,.-is re-filed for applicants abandoned application, Serial No. 535,420, filed May 13, 1944. Prio r pickerstick checking mechanisms generally included a singlerelatively wide looped check; strap which passes between spaced offset friction fingers which are effective to retard the strap when the strap is moved by the picker stick as the pickerstick approaches the, limit of its oscillation. The picker stick moves at-a high rate of speed and thus when it engages the single wide loop of prior constructions an excessive braking or retarding force is applied to the picker stick. This is objectionable. since. it produces excessive wearonthe parts and in some instances results in breakingof the picker stick,

. Fli t ermore, the sudden strainimposedon the check strap results ultimately in so weakening the strap: that itmay breakh ,It is necessary, therefore, to provid e a relatively heavyand consequently expensive strap to provide a strap which will last for a reasonably long period of usewith- P, b t il H Qn'e object of the present invention is to provide 'a checkby the use of which, the above objectidns will beovercome. To this end and in accordance with one feature .of the invention, a checkstrap has been provided which is secured 'be'neath' the lay and which provides. a plu'rality of'helically wound loops which aresuccessively engaged by the picker stick thus progressively ap side of the picker stick and'thus causes thepicker "stick to travel in the center of the slotin the lay as the picker is being checked. f

With theabove'andother objects and features in view; the invention' will'riow be described" with particular reference to the accompanying draw- .ings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereofand in which:' --Figx1 is a view in front elevation of the left hand end ofa lay having a preferredemb'odiment of the invention appliedthereto showing the po- 2 r sition of the parts when a shuttle is in the box; Fig.2,is a view in rear elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1; r w v Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III.III ofv Fig. 1; Y P

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing position of the parts as the picker stick is re turning to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken along the line V,V of Fig.4; and I Fig. 6.is a section taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 4.. v The drawings showonlya part of a loom to I which the present invention may be applied.

The parts of the loom, which are neither shown nor described, are of usualconstruction and they form now partof the present invention. The drawings show aportion or the left hand end of the usual laybeam l0 and a picker stick l2. The usuallshuttle box and shuttle are not shown since the construction and operation of these parts is not necessary to a full understanding of the pres ent invention. The picker stick [2 is swung back and forth inthe usual mannerina slot 14 formed i the ey I .The friction devices for supporting and checking the movement of a check strap l6 are mount ed ongopposite sidesof the lay H1. The friction devices include a bracket it having a portion 20 under the: lay and fitting against the, bottom thereof and an upwardly' extending flange 22 fitting gainst the rear side of the lay. The bracket I8 is secured to the lay It by bolts 24 extending through slots (not shown) in the portionzfl. A The portion 20 of the bracket [8 is provided with a'depending friction finger 26 which is provided with a rounded surface arranged to I engage'the inner surface of the check strap IS. The portion 20 isalso provided with a second depending member 28 to the lower end portion of which one end of the check strap I6 is secured'by means of a capscrew3il. The flange 22 is provided with a rearwardly extending ledge 32 having a rearwardly extending slot 34 therein.

The ledge 32 in its bottom face is provided with 'a forwardly'and rearwardly extending groove 36 which forms a way fora rib 38 formed on the upper surface of a'bracket 40. The bracket 40 is provided with a pair of depending friction fingers 42, M which engage the outer face of the check strap l6 and between which the friction finger 26 is located. The bracket 40 is arranged to be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly of the lay ID to increase or decrease'the sinuous course of the check strap between'the three friction 3 fingers 26, 42 and 44. The bracket 40 is provided with a slot 46 which is aligned with the slot 34 in the ledge 32. A bolt 4d passes through both slots and permits adjustment of the bracket 60. A look nut 59 looks the parts in adjusted position.

The front side of the lay i is also provided with a similar strap supporting and checking mechanism and includes a bracket 52, having a portion 54 extending beneath and fitting against the bottom of the lay and an upwardly extending flange 56 fitting against th front side of the lay. The bracket 52 is provided with a forwardly extending shelf or ledge 58 having a slot 60 therein for receiving a clamping bolt 62. The bracket 52 is securely bolted to the lay Ii] by suitable bolts 64, 66.

The bracket 52 is provided with a depending friction finger 68 having a rounded portion for engaging the inner surface of the check strap Hi. The bracket 52 is also provided with a second depending member or finger it to the upper end portion of which the other end of the check strap I6 is secured by a cap screw 12.

The lower surface of the bracket 52 is provided with a groove M which acts as a way for an up standing rib 15 formed on the upper surface of a bracket 18. The bracket 18 is provided with a pair of depending friction fingers 8D, 82 which are disposed at either side of the finger E8 and are each provided with a rounded surface arranged to engage the outer surface of the strap I6. The bracket 18 is adjustable forwardly and rearwardly of the lay to change the location of the fingers 80, 82 and thus increase or decrease the sinuous course of the check strap IE5.

The check strap l5, as previously stated, is secured at one end to the finger 10 of the bracket 52 by the cap screw 12. The strap then is passed rearwardly behind the finger 28, forwardly of the fingers 42, M and rearwardly of the finger 26. The strap then passes forwardly behind the fingers 82, 80 and in front of the fingers 63, Hi. This portion of the strap is marked A--A in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings. The strap then passes rearwardly behind the finger 28, forwardly of the fingers 42, 44 and rearwardly of the finger 25. This portion of the strap is marked BB in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The strap then passes forwardly behind the fingers B2, 84 and in front of the fingers 68, m. The strap then passes rearwardly and the end portion is secured to the lower portion of the finger 28 by the cap screw 30. Thus, the check strap is is wound helically between the friction fingers and about the picker stick l2.

It is desirable progressively to increase the checking action of the check strap I 5 and the strap is designed to produce this result. Referring now to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the upper loop 90 of the check strap [6 is located near the outer end of the lay. The loop 92 is located nearer the picker stick while the lower loop 94 occupies an intermediate position. Thus when the picker stick I2 is moved outwardly by engagement with an incoming shuttle, the picker stick will successively enga e the loops 92, 94 and Bil. thus increasing the retarding effect of the strap as the picker stick approaches the outer limit of its movement. To insure that the loop 92 will be engaged first, the portions of the friction fingers engaging the portions A-A and 28-13 are slightly relieved so that the friction on these portions of the strap are slightly less than on the other 4 portions of the strap. Thus when the strap is moved when the picker stick approaches the inner limit of its movement, the resistance of the loop 92 will be somewhat less and hence it is moved more easily. The resistance of the loops 9%] and 94 is substantially greater and hence these loops will be moved inwardly a somewhat lesser distance.

The upper and lower loops and S4, respectively, are effectiv to maintain the picker stick i2 centered in the slot I4. The upper loop 90 tends to pull the stick toward the rear while the lower loop tends to pull the stick forwardly. Since the intermediate loop 92 moves bodily outwardly and hence imparts no turning movement to the picker stick, the opposed forces will offset or equalize each other and the picker stick will remain centered in the slot I4 in the lay. The present construction, therefore, presents the advantages of a circular check strap without the necessity of dismantling the picker stick and parallel shoe when it is desired to replace a broken check.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1s:

1. A check for a picker stick including front and rear brackets fixed to a lay and having depending friction fingers, and a flexible strap fixed at each end to said brackets and helically threaded between said fingers to form a plurality of loops arranged to be progressively engaged by the picker stick as it approaches each limit of movement to check said stick.

2. A check for a picker stick including front and rear brackets fixed to a lay, depending friction fingers on each of said brackets, and a flexible strap fixed at one end to said front bracket and at its other end to said rear bracket and helically threaded between said fingers on said front and rear brackets to form a plurality of integral helical loops about said picker stick to progressively check movement of said picker stick as it approaches each limit of its movement.

3. A check for a picker stick including front and rear brackets fixed to a lay, depending friction fingers on each of said brackets, and a flexible strap fixed at each end to said brackets and threaded between said fingers helically in successive vertical loops in edge-to-edge relationship, said loops being arranged to be progressively engaged by the picker stick to check said picker stick as it approaches either limit of its movement.

4. A picker stick check of the type including front and rear brackets fixed to a lay, depending friction fingers on each of said brackets, said fingers being relieved slightly adjacent to their mid portions, and a long narrow flexible strap fixed at one end to said front bracket and at its other end to said rear bracket and helically threaded between said fingers to form a plurality of loops arranged to be progressively engaged by the picker stick as it approaches either limit of its movement.

5. A picker stick check of the type including front and rear brackets fixed to the bottom of a lay on opposite sides of the picker stick slot, stationary and adjustable depending friction fingers on each of said brackets and a long narrow flexible strap fixed at one end to said front bracket and at its other end to said rear bracket, said strap being helically threaded between said fingers to form a plurality of loops of different length arranged to be engaged progressively by the picker stick as it approaches either limit of its movement to check said stick, said fingers being arranged to offer less frictional resistance to movement of one of said loops than to movement of other of said loops, for the purpose described. I

6. A picker stick check of the type including front and rear brackets fixed to the bottom of a lay on opposite sides of a picker stick slot there- 'in, stationary and adjustable depending friction fingers on each of said brackets, said fingers having slightly relieved portions, and a flexible strap fixed at one end to said front bracket and at its other end to said rear bracket, said strap being helically threaded between said fingers to provide a plurality of loops each of difierent length and said relieved portions providing different resistance to movement of different of said loops by said picker stick whereby increasingly greater resistance will be applied to said picker stick as it reaches either limit of its movement.

WALLACE HAMILTON. 

